COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

SUPTS. MEMO NO. 87

April 21, 2006

INFORMATIONAL

TO:

Division Superintendents

 

FROM:

Patricia I. Wright

Acting Superintendent of Public Instruction

 

SUBJECT:

Geospatial Instructional Applications Initiative

 

The Virginia Department of Education is pleased to announce the Geospatial Instructional Applications Initiative. This initiative provides an opportunity for each middle and high school to receive geographic information systems (GIS) software to enhance instruction in agricultural education, geography, science, and technology education by engaging students in the content through geospatial applications. In addition, eight regional Geospatial Instructional Applications Institutes will be offered this spring and summer to support the integration of geospatial hardware and software resources.

 

Geospatial Instructional Applications Institutes

The Geospatial Instructional Applications Institutes will provide high quality professional development experience using ArcView 9 GIS software and global positioning system (GPS) units. These technologies will allow teachers to explore and analyze the natural and human-made world, from local to global, with their students.

 

The teachers will participate in a week of intense instruction on the use of the GIS and GPS resources and the effective integration into their courses and across the curriculum. The dates and locations of the institutes are provided below.

 

Region

Location

Date

 

I

Mathematics and Science Center

Richmond, Virginia

 

August 14-18, 2006

II

WHRO, Norfolk, Virginia

 

June 26-30, 2006

III

Middlesex County Elementary School

Locust Hill, Virginia

 

June 19-23, 2006

IV

Herndon Middle School

Fairfax County, Virginia

 

July 31-August 4, 2006

V

James Madison University

Harrisonburg, Virginia

 

June 26-30, 2006

VI

Roanoke Higher Education Center

Roanoke, Virginia

 

July 10-14,2006

VII

Southwestern Virginia Higher Education Center

Abingdon, Virginia

 

June 12-16, 2006

VIII

Longwood University

Farmville, Virginia

June 26-30, 2006

 

A follow-up meeting for each region will occur during the second semester to provide teachers with additional instruction and an opportunity to debrief with their colleagues regarding effective student-centered practices.

 

Priority will be given to agricultural education, geography, science, and technology education teachers. Interested teachers may register at https://www.conted.vt.edu/ssl/giai/index.lasso. Teachers will have an option to receive graduate credit at their own expense.

 

ArcView 9 GIS Software

The GIS software package includes ArcView 9.1, 3-D Analyst, and Spatial Analyst. Please visit http://www.esri.com/software/arcgis/arcview/about/sys-regs.html to view hardware system requirements for ArcView 9.1.

 

School divisions may request the GIS software order packet by clicking on the link at the bottom of the page and mailing the form to:

 

Dr. Roy Jones

Associate Director of COTA Programs

Outreach Program Development

702 University City Boulevard

Blacksburg, Virginia 24061

 

For further information, please contact George Willcox, technology education specialist, Office of Career and Technical Education, by e-mail at George.Willcox@doe.virginia.gov, or by phone at (804) 225-2839 or Eric Rhoades, science coordinator, Office of Middle and High School Instruction, by e-mail at eric.rhoades@doe.virginia.gov, or by phone at (804) 225-2676.

 

PIW/GRW/ar

 

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/administrators/superintendents_memos/2006/inf087a.doc